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Venice is one of the most unusual and beautiful cities in the world. Imagine a city but on Trees. These trees support the city over the lagoon. Venice has many touristy sites in Piazza San Marco that should be seen at least once. After you have done the tourist thing, go to the back paths of Venice. Explore, get lost, find new areas and enjoy the real Venice. There are many bridges and many of them have steps but it is worth the effort. Discover hidden churches, bars, restaurants, islands and markets. This is where the Venetians live.

Many bars serve Cicchetti, which is a form of Spanish Tapas unique to Venice. Some bars will give you free small plates with the purchase of a drink. Others will charge a small fee. This is a way to try several Venetian dishes and discover new favorite ones. This way of eating is cheaper than in the restaurants especially around Piazza San Marco.

Come watch the YouTube video below and walk with Rory and I around the touristy and back areas of Venice. We also go to Murano to see glass blowing and the Lido to walk around and see the beach. We missed the Venice Film Fare by a week, which is held on the Lido Island.

You get to these Islands and the Train Station & Airport vis vaporetto (Water Taxis).

Barcelona Spain is on the Mediterranean Sea and has a beach and sea port. This city is famous for its architecture, food and wine. It is well-known for its Gaudi architecture. The most famous one is his Sagrada Famila. It is not yet complete but you can tour it. This is the most beautiful and unique church in the world. It looks like it was made as a sand castle. You can tour the two towers, the outside and the inside of this church. Spend time here and take it all in. It is easy to get to on the Metro.

Come visit Barcelona and Sagrada Famila with us in the YouTube video below:

wants good Italian food in Italy. Often you get trapped by tourist restaurants that serve American Italian food and not real Italian food. If you are looking for the real thing and want to experience real Roman food then go to Aristocampo restaurant in the Trastevere district of Rome, Italy.

Trastevere is a wonderful area to walk around. Great churches, architecture and restaurants. Aristocampo is in this wonderful old section of Rome. Sit inside or eat out on the street as we did. Watch my video below on this establishment:

Is the cost of airfares to Europe, Asia, China, Hawaii, South America getting you down? Would you travel more if you could find cheaper fares? Watch this video on a site that can deliver really cheap airfares:

Seville Spain is a wonderful old city with great architecture like the Alcazar and Seville Cathedral. Its narrow streets invite exploration. Walk, get lost, discover new things. When you are hungry, stop at a small tapas restaurant or bar. Order some wine or beer and a few tapas. This is a great way to explore Spanish foods.

In the morning get Churros dipped in chocolate. You will never want to leave. Another all day favorite is a Spanish omelet. It is made with potatoes and onions. This is a real treat any time of day.

Madrid is the capitol of Spain and is a wonderful city to walk, sites, eat food and drink wine. Tapas are the specialty for lunch and snacks before dinner. These are small portion plates that can be shared. Order several and try many new or old favorites from Spain. We order several tapas and some wine or sangria and make it a meal. For breakfast there are many options but a national favorite is churros dipped in melted chocolate. How can you say “No” to this?

When flying into Madrid’s airport remember there is the metro and the Renfe trains (c1, c10, etc). They are two different systems with different entrances and fees. If the metro does not go close to your hotel, try the Renfe lines.

Come wander around the small streets of Madrid, museums, the Palace, the Botanical Gardens and so much more:

This is a summary of out trip to Spain and Italy and gives details on how we planned the trip. Rory and I travelled to Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, Venice and Rome. How did we plan this trip? How many days do you need in each place? How do you get from one city to the next?

In this video I discuss some tips for getting lower airfares, car rentals and hotel prices. I also discuss what to watch out for on some popular discount sites. A trip to Europe can be very expensive but can also be very reasonable with some planning and work on a computer before you go.

Investigate all discount sites and make a list of costs. Pick the ones that offer what you want for the cheapest amount. Sit back and watch my YouTube video on some tips I use:

Planning a trip to Europe can be expensive and frustrating. In this video I give ideas for saving money, planning and creating a trip that will be fun and memorable. Don’t spend your time running around a city and traveling between cities. Enjoy life in Europe. Be a European while you are there. Make contact with locals, communicate, observe life around you. Enjoy the museums and sites but also savor the food and wine. Watch the Europeans around you. How do they live their lives?

The video below will help you plan a memorable and rewarding trip to Europe. Buon Viaggio…